MACHAON (healing hero of the Trojan War)

Machaon accompanied Agamemnon on the expedition against Troy, leading a contingent of thirty ships and commanding troops from Tricca, Ithome, and Oechalia.^7,16 He was skilled in the art of healing, capable of removing arrows, applying healing herbs, and developing the art of healing.^7,13 When Menelaus was wounded by an arrow, Agamemnon ordered Talthybius to summon Machaon, who was found standing among his followers.^17,18,19,20 Machaon traveled through the Achaean army to reach the wounded Menelaus and entered the circle of chieftains surrounding him.²⁰ He removed Menelaus's belt, cuirass, and mail to access the wound, wiped away the blood, and extracted the arrow by bending its barbs backward.²⁰ Machaon applied soothing drugs originally given to Asclepius by Chiron to treat the injury.²⁰

During the battle on the plain, Machaon was wounded in the right shoulder by Alexandrus with a triple-barbed arrow.^6,21,22,5,23 Nestor, advised by Idomeneus to prevent his capture, transported the wounded Machaon away from the battlefield in a chariot to the ships.^23,13,24 Machaon stood by the seaside to dry sweat from his shirt and drank a mixture of wine, cheese, and barley prepared by Hecamede.^25,5 He took a seat inside the tent, where Nestor advised him to stay and rest while Nestor investigated the fighting.^25,26 Hecamede was to wash the clotted blood from Machaon's body.²⁶

Machaon attacked Eurypylus with a spear to avenge the death of Nireus, wounding him in the right shoulder.^27,3,4 He threw a large stone at Eurypylus's head but failed to harm him.²⁷ Eurypylus mocked Machaon for being a weakling who relied on healing salves, claiming that even Machaon's father could not save him from death.²⁷ Eurypylus killed Machaon by piercing him through the right haunch with a lance and driving a spear through his breast and midriff.^28,15,29,27 Machaon was struck down and lay in the dust, where Teucer saw him fallen and shouted at the sight.^30,31 Trojan men threatened to drag Machaon's body back to Ilium.³ Accounts differ on his slayer, with some claiming he was killed by Penthesilia during the battle.³²

Machaon died and was given funeral rites by the Argive warriors, with the Greeks mourning him alongside Nireus.^4,3 The Greeks quickly heaped a single burial mound over both of them.^3,4 Machaon received sacrificial honors at a holy sanctuary in Gerenia, where the Messenians point to his tomb.^28,12 Cures for diseases could be found within his temple, and the power to heal remained with his descendants.^28,11 The Greeks honored Machaon as the immortal Gods.⁴